The instant invention relates generally to the field of maintenance and custodial equipment, and, more specifically to the field of equipment which arrests dirt, grit, and dust from floor surfaces.
In most buildings the majority of outside dirt and grit is brought in with upon the shoes of people entering the building. Instead of collecting this debris at the entrance to the building a great deal of money and energy is wasted by cleaning the dust from the entire inside floor area of the building. In some applications, great care must be taken to avoid contamination to critical manufacturing processes, and clean room areas may be designated.
Door mats are typically used to address this problem; however, the door mat soon becomes saturated with debris and additional traffic just transfers the remaining back and into the building. Individual footwear cleaners, typically consisting of rotating brushes into which a user's shoes are inserted, are impractical in situations where the traffic is particularly heavy or even moderate.